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The Afterlife of Words P E N C A N A D A A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 7/ 1 8
Contents
3 Introduction
4 President’s Message
8 Executive Director’s Message
12 Life after Prison
14 Writers in Exile Committee Report
18 Starting Over in a Democracy
20 Writers in Peril Committee Report
24 I Shall Laugh Last
26 Literary Events
28 Honorary Members
33 Honorary Members Released
34 The Past is Another Country
36 Canadian Issues Committee Report
38 A Q&A with New Voices Award 2017
winner Mikko Harvey
42 Members, Donors, and Partners
3 PEN CANADA
I will live
to see the light
at the end of
the tunnel. It may
or may not be a
long wait.
Whichever
way events may
go, I shall
persevere.
ESKINDER NEGA
ETHIOPIAN
JOURNALIST
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 1
2 PEN CANADA
Introduction
“We have no problems with freedom of winners have obtained early releases from prison
expression. We can say and write whatever sentences that totalled well over 100 years. On
we want.” Seven years ago, the president of the other hand, Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, was
PEN Zimbabwe opened his address to PEN’s kept in a cell to the end of a terminal illness, and
Writers in Prison Committee with these words. Raif Badawi and Ashraf Fayadh still languish in
As a startled silence spread across the room, Saudi prisons as of this writing.
he delivered his punch line: “We only have In these pages we also follow the afterlife
problems with freedom after expression.” of our country reports from the Americas,
That quip contains an important truth: documents that have helped our colleagues to
governments prefer to cloak their efforts to establish PEN centres and provided a focus for
silence dissent with righteousness. Wherever local and regional advocacy. These reports have
possible they hymn the praises of their consti- drawn our centre into the terra incognita of
tutions’ safeguards for free speech. On paper, security training workshops, with encouraging
everyone can say anything they want. It is only results.
when writers are foolhardy or principled enough More than seventy years ago, after noting the
to take such assurances literally that they learn merits of Henry James and the deficiencies of
the difficulties of freedom after expression. Theodore Dreiser, Lionel Trilling wrote: “Dreiser
It takes rare courage to ignore a tyrannical and James: with that juxtaposition we are
state, to keep going when friends and colleagues immediately at the dark and bloody crossroads
are threatened, jailed, or murdered for speaking where literature and politics meet. One does not
truth to power. Yet every year PEN stands with go there gladly, but nowadays it is not exactly a
scores of writers whom no fear will silence. matter of free choice whether one does or does
Men and women who exercise their right to not go.”
freedom of expression without regard for the Trilling’s essay – “Reality in America” –
consequences. People whose voices remain appeared when Stalin’s show trials were part of
strong in circumstances that would render the recent past and Cold War politics had not
most of us mute with terror. yet vitiated much of American life. Different
This report contains three glimpses of shadows darken those crossroads today, but
the afterlives of those who dared to remain Trilling would recognize too well the ethnic and
outspoken: personal accounts from winners religious tensions, and the specious raisons
of our One Humanity award – an annual d’etat, used to intimidate our contemporaries.
prize established in 2008 to honour authors He would also appreciate that for many of them
whose work “transcends the boundaries of it is a matter of conscience rather than a free
national divides and inspires connections choice to face these problems without flinching.
across cultures.” Remarkably, four of the nine
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 3
President’s
Message
RICHARD STURSBERG
Dear Friends,
As many of you know, PEN’s mission falls into three
broad areas: we celebrate literature, we defend freedom
of expression, and we assist writers in peril.
Here are some of last year’s highlights:
Celebration Defence
Our guest at the gala dinner was the brilliant, PEN International’s Congress was held in Lviv,
charming, and scabrous Martin Amis. In Ukraine this year. The highlight was certainly the
conversation with Charlie Foran, Amis enlarged passage of the Women’s Manifesto. Let me quote a
on his dictum that writers should avoid clichés of little for its importance and its eloquence.
the pen, the mind, and the heart. Listening to him “For women to have free speech, the right to read,
speak about writing makes one realize how sad the right to write, they need to have the right to
and limited one’s own views are. I personally dread roam physically, socially and intellectually. There
ever having to express an opinion in the future. are few social systems that do not regard with
Amis’ visit was a fitting sequel to his friend Salman hostility a woman who walks by herself.
Rushdie’s attendance at our previous gala, which
marked the 25th anniversary of his first public “PEN believes that violence against women, in all
appearance – at our 1992 gala! – after the Ayatollah its many forms, both within the walls of a house
Khomeini pronounced the fatwa against him on or in a public sphere, creates dangerous forms of
Valentine’s Day 1989. censorship…
Next year’s gala, with Margaret Atwood, may “PEN believes that the act of silencing a person
prove the most remarkable of all. She has certainly is to deny their existence. It is a kind of death.
become now – if she was not already – Canada’s Humanity is both wanting and bereft without
most widely read, admired, and televised author. the full and free expression of women’s creativity
If she does not win the Nobel prize this year, there and knowledge.”
is no justice.
4 PEN CANADA
Assistance One final note. During the Congress in Lviv,
In partnership with PEN International, PEN I was browsing through a collection of writing by
Canada broke new ground this year with a security exiled North Korean writers. A woman came over
workshop for threatened journalists. In December to talk to me. When I told her what I was reading,
2017 we staged a three-day security training course she asked what I thought of it. I said that I was very
in Guatemala City for some of Central America’s moved. The story was hers, she said; then she burst
most vulnerable media workers: 16 Indigenous into tears.
women who work as community radio journalists. It has been an extraordinary year. I think PEN
These women work on the front lines of public Canada can be justly proud of the work it has
interest journalism despite constant intimidation accomplished.
from drug cartels and other violent actors. The
training taught them how to customize security
plans for their daily work, how to anticpate and
avoid attacks, and how to work in tandem with
other journalists to improve their safety. The
course was so well received that we are determined
to find ways to offer it again, and expand it. In the
year ahead, we will seek financing to allow us to
provide workshops for larger numbers of these
extraordinarily brave people.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 5
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Executive Director’s
Message
The past year has brought many changes. From Discussion (IID). Her lecture on the fight against
the small but significant move into our new offices, corruption in Mexico contained the following
to the much larger departure of our long-time chilling observation: “Many times journalists end
Executive Director, Tasleem Thawar, who has up doing the work of the criminal investigation
moved on to work at the United Way. Tasleem authorities, which makes them very vulnerable as
worked under four presidents and shepherded they face dishonest public officials who have the
the centre through several transitions. During her full power of the State on their side, or criminals
tenure the centre published several country reports who, with impunity, control their turf with guns
and contributed to the founding of new centres and bloodshed. Journalists in Mexico are caught
in Honduras and India. It worked closely with in the middle of two very dangerous forces: the
other NGOs on combating SLAPP suits, improving bullets of drug traffickers and the pressure of the
access to information, repealing hate speech and government.”
blasphemy legislation, critiquing the auditing of Last December, our work in the Americas took
charities for political activity, and the pushback to a large step forward with a groundbreaking security
government restrictions on the media’s access to training workshop for community journalists in
federally funded scientists. Tasleem played a key Guatemala. The project emerged from several years
role in these initiatives and also maintained of related work in the Americas and was generously
close relationships with our patrons, members, funded by a SIDA (Swedish International Devel-
and supporters. We wish her the best of luck opment Agency) grant to PEN International’s Civil
in her new post. Society Programme.
During the last year, our literary calendar – In 2018, globally, PEN International monitored
bookended by galas for Salman Rushdie and Martin the cases of 107 writers who were either imprisoned
Amis – was as crowded as ever. In June 2017 we held or on trial. Thirty-six have been prosecuted under
a dialogue on Indigenous literature with novelists anti-terror laws that are more often used to
Lee Maracle and Cherie Dimaline, editor Lisa penalise criticism of the government rather than
Charleyboy, and curator, artist and educator Gerald actual support of terrorism. So we were heartened
McMaster. In November Omar El Akkad, author by news of Eskinder Nega’s release on February 14,
of American War, and Madeline Ashby, author 2018 – one day before prime minister Hailemariam
of Company Town, discussed the resurgence of Desalegn resigned, citing a need for “deep reforms”
dystopian fiction at one of our patron salons. A few if Ethiopia was to successfully govern its multi-
months later, in April 2018, we hosted the Jamaican ethnic population. Eskinder’s courage in the face
novelist Marlon James, winner of the 2015 Man of enormous pressure is a timely reminder of why
Booker Prize, and David Chariandy, 2017 Rogers PEN’s work remains so important. As he himself
Fiction Prize winner, for a conversation about the wrote in an email to our office, shortly after his
shifting currents of Caribbean fiction. release: “The cause of democracy anywhere is the
In September 2017, we hosted Adela Navarro cause of all democrats anywhere. And freedom of
Bello, the extraordinarily brave editor of Zeta expression is just not possible without democracy.”
magazine at Ryerson’s International Issues
8 PEN CANADA“ THE CAUSE
OF DEMOCRACY
ANY WHERE
IS T HE CAUSE
O F ALL
DEMO CRATS
AN Y W HE RE.
A N D FRE EDOM
OF EX P RESSI ON
IS JUST NOT
P O SSI BLE
W IT H OUT
DEMO CRACY.”
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 9N
nasrin
sotoudeh
IRANIAN
WOMEN’S
AND CHILDREN’S
RIGHTS
AC T I V I ST
SN
I believe that the pain
that our family and
the families of my
clients have had to
endure over the past
few years is not in
vain. Justice arrives
exactly at a time when
most have given up
hope. It arrives when
we least expect it.
I am certain of it.
F R O M N A S R I N ’ S L E T T E R T O H E R
D A U G H T E R , M E H R AV E H I N 2 0 1 1 .Nasrin Sotoudeh – PEN Canada’s 2011 One Humanity Award Recipient
Life
after
Prison Like all prisoners, I found it
hard to adjust to life after my
release. But first let me tell
you something good about
what it felt like to be free
again. Like any mother, I had
worried about my children.
When I was arrested, they
were 3- and 11-years old, so I
was concerned about how the
lengthy prison sentence would
affect them, especially their
schooling and education.
12 PEN CANADABut when I was released, I saw Up to now I’m still banned
that my husband had dedicated from leaving the country and
all of his time to caring for them. every now and then they open
They were attending all of their a criminal case against me. In
painting, music, and English the last few months women’s
classes. That made me really activities against the mandatory
happy. Inside Evin, I had kept hijab have increased, and so
track of them, but seeing their have their efforts to defend their
reality with my own eyes, and rights. I’ve been by their side and
being free again, that was a thrill. I will continue to be.
Having said that, I still cannot When the newspapers were
say that things got back to normal freer I published almost 50
right away. I had to work hard articles in Iranian publications.
to reconnect with my children, But after a while they told me Nasrin Sotoudeh is a leading
especially my younger son who that they weren’t allowed to advocate of women’s and children’s
rights in Iran. In September 2010,
had no memories of me and still publish articles under my name. after police raided her home
doesn’t. This was normal. A great So I turned to investigations and office, she was charged
deal of my time has been spent and interviews instead. I’ve just with “propaganda against the
state.” Four months later she was
rebuilding these connections. At completed an investigation into
sentenced to 11 years in prison for
times I have asked myself: has the execution of inmates younger “acting against national security”
my child lost his childhood? The than 18 – which isn’t allowed. and “violating the Islamic dress
answer to this question has been I’ve also written a diary from my code (Hijab) in a filmed speech.”
Sotoudeh held several hunger
bitter and stinging. time inside Evin prison – but this strikes to protest her ill treatment
As for my work, I faced many hasn’t been edited yet. inside Evin prison. In September
difficulties there, too. I resumed Organizations like PEN can 2013 she was one of a small group
of political prisoners released
my work as a lawyer two years help to strengthen writers. shortly before Iran’s newly elected
ago, but it took me nine months Monitoring the situation of President, Hassan Rouhani, visited
to regain my licence. After my writers when they are in prison, the UN General Assembly.
release, the Bar Association or even after their release, helps
suspended my licence and I to reduce the government’s
was banned from work for three pressure on them. In my case,
years. This was very difficult to for example, in addition to the
bear. I decided to stage a sit- positive effect it had on my spirit,
down protest in front of the Bar the PEN One Humanity award
Association – which had made eventually contributed to my
the decision under pressure early release.
from the Security Ministry in
the first place. I did that for nine
months until I was able to regain
my licence.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 13E
x i le
14 PEN CANADAWriters in Exile
Committee Report
M A R I N A N E M AT, C H A I R
We continue to hold monthly meetings at Romero about their cases and the difficulties and challenges
House, potluck suppers that are attended by many they, their colleagues, and their families face. I
new members including writers from Azerbaijan, believe this was important, because at GAC, they
Ethiopia, Iran, Turkey, and Venezuela. rarely have the opportunity to directly meet people
In December 2017, the Washington Post who are personally affected by various human-
published an op-ed that I’d written about these rights abuses in their countries and who now make
gatherings (“In Toronto, the Exiles Supper Club Canada their home. The presence of our members
gives political refugees a home for the holidays”). and their personal testimonies put a human face
A month later, the Globe and Mail published an on statistics and numbers.
op-ed by Alexander Duarte, our new Venezuelan In November I also wrote directly to Foreign
member (“In Venezuela, Heaven Has Become Hell”). Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Immigration,
Our partnership with the Writers’ Union of Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen
Canada continues to grow. They explored the lives to raise our concerns about the situation of a
of Writers in Exile members in the Winter 2018 Kurdish-Iranian journalist who, after fleeing Iran,
issue of Write magazine which included “Writing: is currently in a difficult situation in Turkey. I have
Freedom and Exile” by our Syrian member not yet received an update on this case.
Abdulrahman Matar. We continue to provide I send reports of our meetings to the PEN office.
various forms of support for our writers. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list, please
In March 2017 seven members of the network let me know.
accompanied me on a visit to Ottawa where we We’ve had a few family reunifications this year,
met with Global Affairs Canada. All of our Writers in some of which took very long to happen. We hope
Exile journalists and writers had the opportunity to for many more in the coming year.
introduce themselves and speak for a few minutes
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 15D
dieu
cay
VIETNAMESE
B LO G G E R
CD
After 6 years, 6 months,
and 11 days in 11
different communist
prisons, I have realized
that the communist
brutality is even more
evil than I thought ...
when the people voice
their dissatisfaction,
the state uses all devious
and brutal methods to
silence their dissent.
L E T T E R F R O M D I E U C AY T O M E D I A L E G A L
D E F E N C E I N I T I AT I V E , J U LY 2 0 1 5Dieu Cay – PEN Canada’s 2013 One Humanity Award Recipient
Starting
Over
in a
Democracy
Three-and-a-half years
ago I was released from
prison in Vietnam.
I was flown immediately to California and I have lived here in exile
ever since. As you can imagine, my first year was taken up with efforts to resettle.
After several medical examinations and some medical treatment, I enrolled
in English as a Second Language classes. I also learned how to drive,
so I could be more mobile and independent.
18 PEN CANADAOne of my major challenges has have collaborated with others to
been how to return to the struggle create short documentaries on Dieu Cay is the pseudonym used
for freedom of expression and Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty by the Vietnamese blogger Nguyen
Van Hai. Literally translated it means
democratic reforms in Vietnam against China’s aggressive “the peasant’s pipe.” After his
even though I am so far away. invasion in the South China Sea. arrest in April 2008 Dieu Cay faced
I had to find a way to do this The documentary can be found trumped up “tax evasion” charges
in a closed trial that was widely
while earning a living – so that here: bit.ly/2I278Ys considered unfair. After completing
I wouldn’t be a burden to my I have also worked with fellow his sentence in 2010, he was
host country’s welfare system. activists to re-post news and charged with a second offence of
“conducting propaganda against the
With help from my friends in the articles that expose corruption in
Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under
Vietnamese diaspora community Vietnam. The Báo Tham Nhung Article 88 of the Criminal Code – a
I have worked periodically for site (bit.ly/2FfTyxm) literally repressive provision that has been
Vietnamese media channels translates to: “Corruption News.” repeatedly used to criminalize
free speech and imprison peaceful
in California and Texas. On March 21, 2017, Phan Kim dissidents. He was finally released in
Employment has been sporadic Khanh, one of our key bloggers, October 2014, a year after receiving
since journalism here in the US was arrested for his involvement PEN Canada’s 2013 One Humanity
Award for his defence of human
is highly competitive, especially with the site. The Vietnamese rights and democracy in Vietnam.
for someone like me who is not authorities assumed control
tech-savvy and lacks experience of our passwords and shut the
in digital and investigative website down. Two months
journalism. later, however, we resumed our
I have, however, resumed blogging at Vietnamweek.net
my activism by speaking out on As for my residential status in
behalf of other bloggers who have the USA, my asylum application
been imprisoned back home. process is still ongoing with no
I have met with international apparent conclusion in sight.
human rights organizations, But, compared to the uncertainty
U.S. congressmen and policy and lack of freedom in Vietnam,
makers, and I’ve participated in the challenges of this free
interviews and conferences on and democratic country feel
human rights. More recently, I temporary and surmountable.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 19Writers in Peril
Committee Report
PETER SHOWLER, CHAIR
In November 2016, PEN Canada and the University December 7-9, 2017, in 12 intensive sessions,
of Toronto’s International Human Rights Program participants learned how to analyze and mitigate
visited Guatemala to review its record on freedom the most common risks, how to draft individual
of expression. PEN’s subsequent submission to the security plans, and how to manage the chronic
UN’s 2017 Universal Periodic Review found that stress of violent and unpredictable work
the previous four years had seen an “escalating environments.
use of violence against journalists and human Frank Smyth, Executive Director of Global
rights defenders, targeting women and Indigenous Journalist Security, led the workshop. The training
persons in particular.” It also stated that these was built around one of his key insights: that
groups worked in a climate of “violence, fear and solidarity is security. “Bullies prefer to work alone,”
impunity” and often faced “stigmatization” and he emphasized, “in the darkness. They fear the
“criminalization.” light.” His colleagues, Marcela Turati and Javier
Determined to do more than simply observe Garza, taught basic self-defence and de-escalation
a bad situation, PEN forged a partnership with techniques, digital security, and network building
UDEFEGUA (La Unidad de Protección a Defensoras strategies that would raise the political cost of
y Defensores de Derechos Humanos Guatemala) threatening or attacking journalists. The workshop
and the Human Rights Defenders Project to stage participants were enthusiastic about the security
a three-day security workshop in Guatemala lessons learned during the workshop and we hope
City for 16 Indigenous women journalists. From to extend the workshops to the many journalists in
20 PEN CANADAGuatemala and Honduras who live with continual which appears in translation on our website, was
threats to their personal and professional safety. based on a four-month investigation into the
Thirty-six years of war have left deep scars alleged rapes of Indigenous girls. We also received
on Guatemalan society. The conflict normalized troubling news that Cesario Padilla, a founding
violence and undermined public trust in law and member of PEN Honduras, had been found guilty,
order. A brutal counterinsurgency in the early along with two other students, of “usurpation” at
1980s destroyed hundreds of Mayan villages and the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
claimed tens of thousands of lives. In 1996 the PEN believes these convictions result from the
UN officially deemed the massacres an act of peaceful exercise of the students’ rights to freedom
genocide. Several journalists at PEN’s workshops of expression and protest.
were from communities that had borne the brunt Finally, some good news. This February,
of this violence. Tragically, even today, the terror Eskinder Nega, an Honorary Member of our centre,
associated with security forces and international was set free from an 18-year prison sentence
investors – such as the sexual violence at Sepur imposed in 2012 under Ethiopia’s draconian anti-
Zarco and Lote Ocho – remains the rule rather than terrorism laws – he criticized the government’s
the exception. Our workshop was a modest but arrest of journalists and anti-government activists.
important response to this awful history. Although he was re-arrested shortly afterwards,
In Honduras, Wendy Funes won our annual he was soon re-released. He remains free as of
prize for investigative journalism. Her submission, this writing.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 21E
eskinder
nega
ETHIOPIAN
JOURNALIST
NTyranny is a function of fear: the terror of state violence, the menace of imprisonment, the dread of imposed penury ... strike only against a handful and a copious number of people are hypnotized into inaction. Our collective dignity, as the world’s oldest black nation, demands that this spell be broken irrevocably. E S K I N D E R N E G A’ S “ L E T T E R T O M Y S O N , ” S M U G G L E D OUT OF PRISON AND PUBLISHED IN MARCH 2014.
Eskinder Nega – PEN Canada’s 2015 One Humanity Award Recipient
I Shall
“Will you stop writing?” asked the
warden, leaning forward to stress
his question. “Of course not,” I
replied instinctively. “It’s too late
for that now. Had I agreed to stop
writing, I would not be in prison
in the first place. What would be
the point of stopping now?”
24 PEN CANADAIn 2009 the Ethiopian government
issued an Anti-Terrorism Proclamation
that greatly expanded its definition
of “terrorism” and undermined
longstanding protections on freedom
of expression. Eskinder Nega, a
journalist and blogger, was arrested
on July 13, 2012 and sentenced to
18 years in prison for vague terrorism
charges related to this proclamation.
He was released in February 2018.
Nega received PEN Canada’s One
Humanity award in 2015.
Laugh
He did not look up when I walked be written on were banned, and the certainty that I stand on
out of his office. This was not a access to family members and the right side of history. On the
challenge that would be taken friends was severely restricted. surface, it is difficult to discern
lightly. The state was interested The state was intent on prevailing. a common theme in world
in far more than physical But in the end, it was not history. But history is really
incarceration. Breaking the spirit, the state that was to triumph, an evolutionary movement of
prevailing over the prisoner’s will, and its failure has come to be ideas, and in democracy, as it
was its weightier mission. The symbolized by my adamant – and is understood and expressed
setting for a contest of wills, one very public, I should add – refusal in the west, mankind finds its
that was to eventually last over to seek pardon for an early common endpoint. African or
four years, had been set. release. The might of the state European, Asian or American,
My transfer to prison-within- does not have its way all the time. Christian or Muslim, Indian or
prison, an area reserved for the Since then I have been Chinese will finally converge to
most difficult prisoners, came repeatedly asked how I persevered a common destiny. Democracy,
as no surprise. And then came through the years. I have always with freedom of expression at
the clamp down: my books pointed to the Bible as the its core, can be delayed but not
were all confiscated and access primary source of my inspiration prevented.
to new ones was denied; pens, and strength. Without it I would I, not my jailers, shall laugh
papers and anything that could not have made it. Then comes last.
Last ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 25Literary
Events
PEN Gala with Salman Rushdie
(March 2017)
Salman Rushdie interviewed
by former PEN Canada president
Randy Boyagoda at the
Burroughes Building.
Blue Metropolis Literary
Festival, Montreal
(April 2016)
PEN was involved with seven
events including discussions
of fictional treatments of World
War II, Canada’s bond with Cuba
after the death of Fidel Castro,
twenty-first century China, the
Throughout the year, PEN Canada importance of history in the work
organizes a diverse array of literary of LGBTQ writers, the role of art
events that raise money and in the conflict between Jews and
awareness for freedom of expression. Palestinians, the highs and lows
If you have a suggestion for an of biography, and a discussion of
event, or if you would like to host or Central European literature.
volunteer, please contact PEN’s Office
Manager at 416.703.8448 ext.1 Indigenous Voices Rising:
Toronto Reference Library
(June 2017)
Lisa Charleyboy (editor-in-chief
of Urban Native Magazine),
novelists Cherie Dimaline and
Lee Maracle, curator, author,
artist, and educator Gerald
McMaster discussed whether
mainstream success has changed
the roles of Indigenous writers
within their communities.
26 PEN CANADALaunch of Canada 150 Book Patron Salon: Freedom to Read Week
Glorious & Free Dystopian Futures (March 2018)
(June 2017) (November 2017) Very Political and
Launch of Glorious & Free, a book Omar El Akkad, whose debut Unapologetically Black.
by Kim Bozak and Rita Field- novel American War was Desmond Cole, winner of
Marsham profiling Canadian shortlisted for the Writers’ Trust PEN’s 2017 Ken Filkow freedom
talent in various fields. Fiction Prize, and Madeline of expression award, in
Ashby, author of Canada Reads conversation with Jael
Investigative Journalism finalist Company Town, discuss Richardson, founder of the
in a Dangerous Country human resilience in the face Festival of Literary Diversity
(September 2017) of hyper-partisan politics and (FOLD).
Adela Navarro Bello, director environmental catastrophe.
general of the Zeta Weekly in Reimagined Homelands
Tijuana, Mexico addressed Code Name Sally (April 2018)
Ryerson’s International Issues (November 2017) Prize-winning authors Marlon
Discussion (IID) series. Navarro’s Screening and discussion of a James and David Chariandy
publication is renowned for short documentary by Ari and discuss how fiction has
its exposés of institutional Sturla Gunnarsson, marking reclaimed representations of the
corruption, organized crime, and the 25th anniversary of PEN Caribbean within mainstream
drug trafficking. Several ZETA Canada’s covert action in 1992 to American, British, and Canadian
editors and journalists have been bring Salman Rushdie to a PEN literature.
murdered and Navarro has been benefit in Toronto.
the subject of multiple death
threats during her 27-year career. PEN Gala with Martin Amis
(February 2018)
Glorious & Free? PEN’s 2018 literary dinner was
(October 2017) held on February 20th at The
Panel discussion at the Great Hall in Toronto. It featured
International Festival of Authors: a video documenting PEN
Jesse Wente, Desmond Cole, Canada’s work with writers in
Rachel Giese, and moderator Guatemala. Martin Amis was
Jesse Brown discuss Canadian interviewed by award-winning
values and freedoms. Ontario writer, and former PEN
Canada president, Charlie Foran.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 27Honorary Members CHINA AND AUTONOMOUS REGIONS ERITREA MEXICO SAUDI ARABIA UZBEKISTAN 28 PEN CANADA
CHINA AND AUTONOMOUS REGIONS Ali (editor-in-chief of Tsigenay), Mattewos Habteab
The 2010 Nobel Peace Laureate, Liu Xiaobo, was (editor-in-chief of Meqaleh), Dawit Habtemichael
a former President and board member of the (reporter for Meqaleh), Medhanie Haile (editor-
Independent Chinese PEN Centre. In June 2009 Liu in-chief of Keste Debena), Emanuel Asrat (editor
was arrested for signing Charter 08, a declaration of Zemen), Temesken Ghebreyesus (reporter for
calling for political reforms and human rights. Keste Debena), Dawit Isaac (writer and co-owner
He was kept under residential surveillance, a of Setit), Fesshaye Yohannes “Joshua” (playwright,
form of pre-trial detention, at an undisclosed poet, and publisher of Setit) and Said Abdelkader
location in Beijing, until he was formally charged (writer, editor of Admas, and owner of the press
with “spreading rumours and defaming the that printed most of the independent newspapers).
government,” “subversion of the state,” and In September 2009, Reporters Without Borders
“overthrowing the socialism.” Liu received an 11- reported that many of the imprisoned journalists
year prison sentence on December 25, 2009. After were being held in metal containers or
spending the last eight years of his life in Jinzhou underground cells in Adi Abeito Military Prison, in
prison in northeast China, with little access to Eiraeiro Prison and in the Dahlak archipelago.
friends, family, or colleagues, Liu died in July 2017. In 2007, reports indicated that four of the
His wife – the poet and photographer Liu Xia – was journalists had died in custody between 2005 and
only allowed to visit him once a month under the early 2007: Abdelkader, Haile, Ali, and Yohannes.
supervision of prison guards. They were forced to Their deaths were attributed to harsh conditions
change the subject if they discussed anything that and lack of medical attention. Some sources
was deemed offensive to the state. Despite these indicate that Yohannes had been tortured prior to
privations, Liu’s communications with the outside his death, including having his fingernails ripped
world reiterated messages of peace, hope, and out. In May 2007, the African Commission on
love. His prison poetry spoke of his love for Liu Xia Human and People’s Rights (ACPHR) of the African
and his hope for a China free from discrimination Union ruled that the detention of the journalists
and human rights abuses. After learning of his was arbitrary and unlawful and called on the
death, PEN International President Jennifer Eritrean government to release and compensate
Clement recalled the empty chair – PEN’s symbol the detainees.
for imprisoned writers – which represented Liu at Isaac, who spent a number of years in Sweden
the 2010 Nobel ceremony. She wrote: “On that day during the Eritrean war of independence and the
the world honoured and celebrated Liu Xiaobo’s border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia, holds
courage as it does again today. Liu once said, ‘I Swedish citizenship.
hope I will be the last victim in China’s long record In a TV interview in 2009 President Afeworki said
of treating words as crimes’. We must continue to he did not know what crime Isaac had committed
uphold his dream.” and added that Eritrean authorities would release
him or put him on trial. In an interview published
ERITREA on the website of the Swedish daily newspaper
In September 2001, 13 newspaper journalists were Aftonbladet on August 1, 2010, a senior adviser to
arrested after President Issaias Afeworki closed President Afeworki said that Isaac was being held
Eritrea’s independent newspapers, leaving only the for his involvement in a “conspiracy” by a group of
state-run Hadas Eritrea. PEN Canada adopted the Eritreans “to facilitate” an invasion of the country by
following as Honorary Members: Yusuf Mohamed Ethiopia during the border war between the two
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 29Honorary Members
The risks here are high and rising,
and journalists are easy targets.
countries. He declined to provide assurances that that the stalled investigation into José’s murder
Isaac was still alive. Seyoum Tsehaye, a TV and moves forward and those responsible are brought
radio journalist who wrote a weekly column for to justice. There has been no progress on the case
the newspaper Setit, has been held without charge since then.
or trial since September 2001.
SAUDI ARABIA
MEXICO Blogger Raif Badawi was arrested on June 17, 2012
José Armando Rodriguez Carreón was a veteran in Jeddah after organizing a conference to mark
crime reporter for El Diario, a daily newspaper a “day of liberalism.” The event was banned and
based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua state. He was his online forum – created to foster political and
shot at least eight times by an unidentified person social debate in Saudi Arabia – was closed by a
on the morning of November 13, 2008, as he was court order. On May 7, 2014, Jeddah’s Criminal
about to drive his daughter to school. José had Court sentenced Badawi to 10 years in prison,
covered drug-related violence and organized crime 1,000 lashes, and a fine of 1 million Saudi riyals
in Ciudad Juárez and, after receiving death threats, (CAD $291,700) on charges of “founding a liberal
had briefly left Mexico to live in El Paso, Texas. On website,” “adopting liberal thought,” and “insulting
his return, he refused to stop covering crime stories Islam.” When Badawi appeared in court to collect
despite receiving further death threats. Shortly a written account of the verdict on May 28, 2014,
before his death, Rodriguez told the Committee to he discovered the insertion of two additional
Protect Journalists (CPJ): “The risks here are high penalties: a 10-year travel ban and 10-year ban
and rising, and journalists are easy targets. But I from participating in visual, electronic, and written
can’t live in my house like a prisoner. I refuse to live media following his release. Badawi received 50
in fear.” In the weeks after his murder, several other lashes in January 2015 but has not been subjected
El Diario journalists received death threats, as did to further punishment since. Badawi was awarded
other media in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua. Two PEN Canada’s One Humanity prize in 2014.
prosecutors in charge of investigating the case Saudi Arabian-born Palestinian poet, artist,
have reportedly been assassinated. On May 26, curator, Ashraf Fayadh, was arrested in August
2011, the Inter American Press Association sent a 2013, accused of “misguided and misguiding
letter to President Calderón, signed by hundreds thoughts” after the Saudi Arabian Committee for
of newspaper readers throughout the Americas, the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
calling on him to intervene in order to ensure received a complaint about him. According to
30 PEN CANADABut I can’t live in my house like a
prisoner. I refuse to live in fear.
reports, the complaint contended that Fayadh had UZBEKISTAN
made obscene comments about God, the Prophet Dilmurod Saidov – aka Sayyid – was sentenced to
Muhammad, and the Saudi Arabian state. Released 12.5 years in prison on February 22, 2009 on charges
on bail, he was rearrested on 1 January 2014 on of extortion and forgery according to statement
charges including “insulting the divine self” and made by a head of the Agricultural Equipment
having long hair. He has been held in a prison in and Tractor Park in Samarkand, who claimed that
the city of Abha ever since. According to court Saidov had sought to extort US$15,000 from him.
documents seen by PEN International, during his Authorities added a second charge of extortion in
trial held over six hearings between February and March and a charge of forgery in April. Saidov’s case
May 2014, Fayadh stood accused of numerous was riddled with procedural violations but when
blasphemy-related charges, including “insulting his lawyer appealed the sentence in late 2009 after
the divine self and the prophet Mohammed,” the Samarkand Region court upheld the journalist’s
“spreading atheism,” “refuting the Qur’an,” and sentence on September 11, 2011. Saidov suffers
“insulting the King and the Kingdom,” among from tuberculosis and was admitted to hospital
other charges. Evidence compiled against him for 27 days in mid-August 2011. His family has
included at least 10 pages from his collection of requested a provisional release during trial but this
poetry Instructions Within, published by the Beirut- was rejected on the basis that he is a “dangerous
based Dar al-Farabi in 2008 and later banned from criminal.” Saidov has reportedly been subjected to
distribution in Saudi Arabia. On 17 November harsh prison conditions and psychotropic drugs
2015, the General Court of Abha sentenced during his detention. In April 2012 Saidov’s family
Fayadh to death for the crime of being an infidel were allowed to visit him in prison for his fiftieth
(kufr) following a re-trial. The court argued that birthday. They expressed concern that he was
Fayadh’s repentance for the crime of apostasy was not receiving adequate treatment for his acute
a matter of the heart and should have no bearing tuberculosis and that his health continued to
determining whether or not the crime had been worsen due to harsh treatment in prison.
committed. Fayadh appealed the sentence. In
February 2016, a Saudi Arabian court replaced
the death sentence with an eight-year prison
term and 800 lashes. Fayadh has further appealed
against this conviction. Fayadh was chosen for PEN
Canada’s One Humanity award in 2017.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 31Released
February 2018
Eskinder Nega
ETHIOPIA
In September 2011 the editor and journalist the conviction on May 2, 2013 in a ruling several
Eskinder Nega was arrested on charges brought international human rights groups described as
under Ethiopia’s 2009 Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. “highly dubious.” Nega was released in February
Before his arrest, Nega published a column 2018. His release was reportedly delayed because
questioning whether detained journalists were he refused to sign a confession. He was rearrested
suspected terrorists and he criticized the arrest shortly afterwards, along with several other
of a well-known government critic. Nega was journalists and politicians, for allegedly meeting
charged with having affiliations with Ginbot 7, a during a state-of-emergency without proper
banned political party, and for receiving weapons clearance from the authorities. Nega was released
and explosives from Eritrea. Convicted on June 27, in mid-April. Nega was chosen for PEN Canada’s
2012 he received an 18-year prison sentence on One Humanity award in 2015.
July 13, 2012. The Ethiopian Supreme Court upheld
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 33Past
What is a country? Who is a who interrogated the writer’s They were reasonable
citizen? Where do we belong? harsh and tumultuous life, questions. The writer countered
What do we owe one another? testing, not unfairly, apparent them with the peculiar logic
Why have we organized inconsistencies and lapses in and idiosyncrasy of a human
ourselves the way we have? his story. For instance, if a man life – much of which could not
The questions sound trite but I receives a terrifying phone call be substantiated. But he came
found myself dwelling on them in which his life is threatened, from a place where the things
recently at an Immigration does he remain in his parents’ he described were plausible and
and Refugee Board hearing. house for several weeks while he they were worse than anything
At the request of a writers’ awaits his travel documents? If my parents experienced in the
organization, I agreed to serve he fears the police because they Soviet Union. He’d had the bad
as an observer in solidarity with are complicit with the religious luck to be born at the wrong
a writer I’d never met. For three fanatics who hate his books, and time between the wrong borders.
hours, I sat in the hearing room if these same police abuse him in His government was as glad to
with another representative a vile and despicable way, could be rid of him as he was to have
of the writers’ organization, he not evade them by moving left. He believed he was better
the writer, his lawyer, an to another city inside his own suited to Canada. From what I
interpreter, and the adjudicator, country? could see, he was right. Even if
34PEN
3 PENCANADA
CANADAThe
is
Another
Country
it was discovered that he was of preparation. Documents
being less than fully truthful, I filed. A room reserved. All of us David Bezmozgis is a writer member
thought he was harmless. But it assembled. The proceedings of PEN Canada and represented
the centre at a refugee hearing last
was as likely as not that he would conducted with utmost gravity. year. The following is an extract from
be sent back. The case could be Politicians defining themselves his contribution to The Displaced
made that he had arrived under by it. Families quarrelling and (Abrams Press, ISBN: 1-4197-2948-9),
a collection of work by 17 refugee
false pretences while others sat becoming estranged. But the
writers, edited by Pulitzer Prize–
in their miserable countries or longer I sat in the room, the more winning author of The Sympathizer,
in displaced persons camps arbitrary it seemed. Viet Thanh Nguyen.
waiting to be admitted. Was it At the end of the three hours,
fair that he should be allowed the adjudicator still hadn’t
to stay? Then again, he was rendered his verdict. It was
already here and the country resolved that we would return
was big and could accommodate in a month. The outstanding
thousands like him without issues remained: credibility,
anyone noticing. And yet so identity, delay, objective risk, and
much effort had been invested subjective fear.
into deciding his claim. Months
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 35What is free expression?
What is the relationship between
the freedom to speak
and the right to be heard?
What is PEN Canada’s
conception of
free expression?
36 PEN CANADACanadian Issues
Committee Report
CARMEN CHEUNG, CHAIR
We have seen an active debate around Canada as to
what constitutes free expression, and what – if any –
limitations to this fundamental right can be tolerated
in an open and democratic society. Interrogations
of what freedom of expression means for creative
and political life has informed the Canadian Issues
Committee’s work throughout this past year.
Submission to the United Nations effects on freedom of expression, and criminalizing
In collaboration with Ryerson University’s Centre libel has particularly profound impacts on writers
for Free Expression, Canadian Journalists for Free and journalists. PEN’s submissions highlighted the
Expression, and Reporters Without Borders, PEN unique and critical role that writers and journalists
submitted a report on the state of free expression play in democratic governance.
in Canada as part of Canada’s Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) by the United Nations Human Developing an internal framework for PEN’s work
Rights Council. The submission highlighted A key role of the CIC is to respond to freedom of
structural challenges to free expression, including expression issues in Canada. In order to help guide
the criminalization of speech, out-dated access the CIC, we proposed a triage system for identifying
to information legislation, and insufficient freedom of expression issues in Canada and
protections at law for journalistic sources. how infringements on free expression in several
different domains impact the flourishing of creative
Submission to the House of Commons life. This research, which allowed us to develop a
PEN delivered written submissions to the House substantive framework for PEN’s advocacy, was
of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and presented to the PEN board for its consideration.
Human Rights as part of its study of Bill C-51,
which, among other things, would eliminate the Acknowledgments
offence of blasphemous libel from the Criminal The CIC’s activities this year would not have been
Code. While PEN strongly supported the repeal of possible without the generous support of Norton
blasphemous libel, it also urged the Committee to Rose Fulbright, which worked closely with PEN in
amend the Bill to repeal the offences of seditious preparing its submissions to the United Nations
libel and defamatory libel as well. PEN argued that and the Canadian Parliament.
the criminalization of speech has serious chilling
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 37Q
A Q&A with 2017 New Voices Award
winner Mikko Harvey
38 PEN CANADA
AMikko Harvey is the 2017 winner of the RBC/PEN Canada New
Voices Award for unpublished writers aged 17-30. The award,
generously funded by the RBC Emerging Artists Project, includes
a $2,000 cash prize and mentorship from a prominent Canadian
writer. Last November, we asked Mikko a few questions about
his work and the state of contemporary poetry.
PEN Canada: In a widely discussed jeremiad on Also, the amount of poetry appearing in America is
American poetry, Mark Edmundson complained staggering, which makes the kind of generalizations
that, “At a time when collective issues – communal Edmundson makes hazardous. Poetry has a
issues, political issues – are pressing, our poets lot of problems and it’s easy to point them out,
have become ever more private, idiosyncratic, but problems lead to answers. Yes, poets have a
and withdrawn.” Is this fair? Has American poetry tendency to get lost in “self-questioning” or self-
become too “oblique, equivocal, painfully self- absorption. This is a common stereotype about
questioning”; has it succumbed to an “imposing poets. But the existence of such a stereotype
opacity”? compels the reaction against it. Artists throughout
Mikko Harvey: I admire Edmundson’s passion but history have created energy in this judo fashion.
don’t totally relate to his position. For one thing, For example, when poets get too opaque and drift
he overlooks a bunch of poets who are highly away from reality, someone like Patricia Lockwood
invested in collective, communal, political issues. comes along and wins the hearts of a million
Tongo Eisen-Martin, CA Conrad, Morgan Parker, readers by being smart and funny. The poets then
Ilya Kaminsky (whose manuscript Deaf Republic realize that what they thought was The Void was
is going to make waves when it’s finally published) actually just their own reflection in a puddle, and
come to mind, to name only a few excellent recalibrate.
names. Edmundson also strikes me as somewhat
dismissive of any poem that doesn’t fit into his PC: Edmundson cites a passage from Humbolt’s
particular and hierarchical notion of “superb lyric Gift in which Charlie Citrine says poets “exist
poetry,” for which he even offers a three-pronged to light up the enormity of the awful tangle” of
formula for success. I distrust this approach to art. America’s overpowering reality. Does this ring true
I begin to slowly back away from anybody who for you? If so, which part of the tangle would you
uses the word “formula” too often. Terrance Hayes like to illuminate?
says he thinks of poems not as machines but as MH: Pretty grim but, yes, I’ll buy this to a degree,
animals. That feels truer to me, and in that context especially since America keeps discovering new
Edmundson’s desire starts to feel a little creepy. If ways to tangle more awfully. I recommend Rachel
he wants a roaring lion of a poem, cool, great. But Zucker’s podcast, Commonplace, for discussions
that doesn’t mean you have to kill the squirrels. around this topic. In one episode Zucker interviews
I actually prefer the squirrels (I actually am a the poet Roger Reeves, and Reeves talks about
squirrel). how important it is for poetry to tell the stories
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 39A Q&A with New Voices Award 2017 winner Mikko Harvey
of people who are under attack. But he also was somehow heartening. The model of poetry
emphasizes the value of doing a close-up on the publishing could use some revision, but poems
faces of the attackers – not to glamorize them, are still reaching people, in fact increasingly so.
but to seek to understand and expose the forces I suspect social media has contributed to the
behind the attack. Different artists have different increase. Social media is not a perfect utopia for
angles of access to the tangle. Based on what I’ve poetry – the fact that statistics and creepy words
written lately, I would say I’m interested in looking like “followers” are involved is unfortunate – but
at psychological drivers such as anxiety, ambition, there’s no doubt it helps poetry travel.
and apathy. These are abstract terms but they leak I haven’t answered the question: what does it feel
into tangible actions and inactions, and currently like to write poetry in these circumstances? To me,
in America they are being stretched to an extreme, it feels like a secret personal playground. The fact
or so it seems to me. A poem like “Box” takes an that so little money and attention is involved only
interest in this. allows me to burrow deeper into the equipment. I
remember when I first started writing poems I was
PC: In 2012, the US National Endowment for the embarrassed, so I didn’t tell anybody I was doing
Arts found that despite an increase in literary it. I would wait until my roommate fell asleep,
reading, poetry had suffered the “steepest decline then write. The room was dark and silent and I
in participation in any literary genre” during the didn’t know what the NEA was. The pleasure of
previous decade. A year later, a leading UK poetry that innocence is gone now but new pleasures are
publisher announced that single-author collections always rushing in. One such pleasure is the ongoing
had become financially unsustainable. What discovery of poets whose writing I love. That is
does it feel like to write poetry in such difficult how you make friends on the secret playground.
circumstances? It probably sounds like I’m being coy with this
MH: Sales numbers for poetry books tend to be metaphor, but these friendships really matter to
relatively tiny, yes. But it’s not all bad news. I briefly me. Some of the people in the world I feel most
worked at Small Press Distribution, which has connected to are poets I have never met before. In
a warehouse in Berkeley, California, containing light of this intimacy, I end up not thinking much
thousands and thousands of poetry books. It’s about whatever the studies might indicate.
one of my favorite places in the world. And,
happily, SPD has broken its own sales record every PC: You’ve recently been signed by Anansi and will
year for the past ten years. The phrase “difficult soon be publishing your first collection of poems.
circumstances” is fitting in a sense, but it doesn’t What does that mean for a young poet?
totally square with my experience. My job was to MH: It means I’m lucky. Anansi makes beautiful
pick books from the stacks, box them up, and mail books, and I couldn’t have landed in the hands
them off to people who’d ordered them. Going of a better editor than Kevin Connolly. I hope my
through this process with my own eyes and hands poems are able to go forth and make a few friends.
40 PEN CANADAHaving the book accepted has taken some pressure of a film. I’ve been enjoying new episodes of Twin
off, in a way. I put so much energy into making Peaks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I love the way Lynch
this book happen, and now it’s happening, and braids surrealism and storytelling. I enjoy pretty
I’ve retrospectively realized that there was never much anything that comes out of Studio Ghibli for
any rush to make it happen. I want to take my time similar reasons. I love how reality feels just after
writing whatever comes next. I’m usually the type an unreal filmic experience has ended. There is a
to write as frequently as possible and feel guilty quality to the air that is charged, brittle yet full –
whenever I’m not writing. (I suspect many young you feel as if you’ve landed on a new planet. I hope
poets feel this way.) But now I’d like to spend some to create a version of that feeling with my poems.
time just reading and thinking and living, not I don’t know if I’ve ever succeeded.
stressing the writing as much. I’d like to get some
distance between the old poems and the new PC: Which poets would make it onto your desert
poems. I love when poets change up their approach island reading list? Why?
from book to book. It shows a curiosity about the MH: I’m going to read this question in the bleakest
art, I think, to be willing to start from scratch like possible terms, i.e. I’m stranded alone on a desert
that. The encouragement I’ve received from Anansi island with no prospect of escape. I would have
(not to mention PEN Canada!) has helped give me to bring some Derek Walcott because he’s so wise
the confidence to make that my goal: to start again about waves and island landscapes. Mary Ruefle
from scratch. because her poems teach you how to converse with
animals and plants, and this could be useful in such
PC: Several of your poems read like fragments of a setting. Maybe Eileen Myles to help me remember
a surreal screenplay. Has cinema influenced you? how the world felt back when I was in it. And Emily
MH: The biggest influence that cinema has had Dickinson – I would spend one full day with each of
on me is probably envy. I’m envious of what her poems and then quietly die in the sand.
filmmakers are able to accomplish. After seeing
a great film I briefly mourn the fact that I’m not a
filmmaker, then I ask myself how I might stretch
my own writing in order to achieve similar effects.
Of course poetry can never do quite what film does,
but the pursuit of such impossibilities can still
be fruitful.
Mikko Harvey is the author of Unstable
Recently I’ve loved Terence Nance’s An Neighbourhood Rabbit (House of Anansi,
Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Juzo Itami’s 2018). He lives in New York City, where
Tampopo, Alison Maclean’s adaptation of Jesus’ Son, he is the Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation
Online Editorial Fellow at Poets & Writers
and Agnès Varda’s L’Opera Mouffe, which to me Magazine. He also serves as an associate
basically feels like chapbook of poems in the form poetry editor for Fairy Tale Review.
ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 41You can also read
